Bryansburn Rangers FC

Bryansburn progressed to the 2^nd Round of the Irish Cup with an extra time victory over NFC Kesh who were the visitors to Ballywooley for the 1^st Round tie last Saturday 19^th.

From the first whistle the ‘Burn forward line of Malomo-Paris and Barr put pressure on the away side back four and after a great run Barr was fouled in the box and the referee duly pointed to the spot. However, Barr’s resultant penalty was well saved by the Kesh keeper.

The Bryansburn back four of Cooling, Kane, Magee and Graham were dealing well with the very quick visiting strikers. Kesh came more and more into the game and after some poor defending the ball was whipped in for a Kesh striker to head a well- taken goal and put the visitors in the lead.

A stern halftime team talk from Manager Young did the trick and when Murray was challenged in the box early in the second half the referee again pointed to the spot. This time Captain Thompson slammed the ball into the net to give the home side a well-deserved equaliser.

‘Burn were now firing on all cylinders and the move of the match with no less than fifteen passes allowed Murray to play a one two with Barr and a great finish put Bryansburn into the lead for the 1^st time in the game.

Maguire then replaced McGimpsey and after some neat work Bryansburn were again awarded their 3^rd penalty of the game and it was time for Barr to make amends after his earlier miss and kill the game off. However yet again the away side keeper guessed right to turn the penalty away for a corner kick.

This seemed to spark Kesh into action and with only a couple of minutes of normal time remaining they snatched an equaliser. After a great stop from keeper Doran and a few scrambles the ball was poked over the line for the visitors to pull the game level.

Extra time started with both sides cancelling each other out and as it looked to be heading for the dreaded penalty kicks up stepped Barr to redeem himself. The keeper had made a great save but Barr followed on in to tap the ball into the empty net to put Bryansburn in the hat for the next round.

The ‘Burn management team were very pleased with the overall performance and look to continue their winning ways when they visit Orangefield in a League 1B encounter this coming Saturday.

The 2^nd XI travelled to Drumaness Mills ll in the League and were narrowly defeated 4-3 after a late winner.

‘Burn started the better and opened up the Drumaness defence on several occasions before taking the lead. Edwards dispossessed the home left back and crossed the ball for Peeples to head home. Drumaness got back into the game when they equalised from the penalty spot and this gave them the impetus they needed. They began to play some good football and took the lead with another goal just before the break.

HT 2-1.

The home team began where they left off in the 1^st half. They extended their lead with a controversial goal. The Drumaness striker pushed McAllister in the back and picked up the ball for an easy finish. The home referee waved away ‘Burn protests and the goal stood. The visitors’ heads went down for a period but, credit to them, they worked hard to fight back. Edwards had a golden opportunity to pull one back when put through by Larmour for a one-on-one with the keeper but he saw his effort rattle the post. However he made amends five minutes later when he expertly volleyed in a Morrison cross to reduce the deficit and then he slotted home from a Cunningham through ball to level the game at 3-3.

The momentum was now with Bryansburn and there appeared only one winner but ‘Burn were undone with three minutes to go by a swift counter attack from Drumaness which ended with their substitute scoring from close range. A disappointing performance and result for the 2nds. FT 4-3.

The 3^rd XI had an emphatic 8-2 win at Bangor Rangers lll with the veteran strike force of Cardwell and Dempster helping themselves to seven goals between them.

The home side actually made the better start with ‘Burn slow to settle but it was Bryansburn who opened the scoring Dempster headed on a long throw from Storey and Gallagher scored with a diving header at the back post. Unfortunately this was the last action for Gallagher as he limped from the fray to be replaced by Cairnduff. Within five minutes Bangor Rangers equalised after a well-worked move and good finish carved the Bryansburn defence open. Not long after the home keeper fumbled a through ball and Cardwell was left to finish into an empty net to put Bryansburn back in the lead. ‘Burn were now beginning to get to grips with the game and Cardwell was bundled over in the box for a penalty. Dempster stepped up to slot home the resultant spot kick to make it 3-1 at the break.

Early in the second half the home side pulled the score back to 3-2 when Brady saved a powerful Worrell shot and was unfortunate to see the ball loop high over him and drop into the net. At this stage it seemed game on but instead the home side were over-run as Bryansburn stepped up a gear with devastating effect. Cardwell restored the two-goal advantage when he waltzed round several challenges and fired home. Then Dempster killed the game off when he rounded the keeper and slipped the ball home via a defender who tried to keep the ball out and ‘Burn were 5-2 up. At this stage Bryansburn were rampant with Murphy, Beattie and Storey all finding loads of space and providing the ammunition for the front two. Twice Cardwell smacked the post after being put through following great team moves and the Bangor Rangers keeper made a couple of good saves. Finally Cardwell completed his hat-trick as did Dempster who headed home a Storey cross to make it 7-2. Beattie then made a jinking run and crossed for Cardwell to volley his 4^th into the roof of the net and complete the scoring at 8-2.

The back four of Cole, McComb, Shaw and Beckett had a great second half and only late on did Bangor Rangers threaten the home goal again but Brady saved well.

A tremendous second half from Bryansburn with Cardwell lifting the “Man of the Match” award.

The 4^th XI travelled to Comber YM ll and despite a stirring fight-back went down 5-3.

‘Burn made a slow start and went two goals down early on with both goals being scored by headers from corners. The home side extended their lead with a goal that looked offside and when they made it four shortly before halftime a rout looked on the cards.

All credit to the young Bryansburn side as they battled back in the second half. Firstly Rea hammered a free-kick into the top corner from outside the box and then Jeffers pounced to reduce the arrears further. Comber added another goal courtesy of a fluky own goal before Proctor made the final score a more respectable looking 5-3.

Tonight (Thur) training reverts to Ward Park from 6.30 to 8.30pm. From next Tuesday training will be at Bangor Sportsplex from 8.00 to 10.00pm

This Saturday the 1^st XI return to League action with a trip to Orangefield OB while the 2^nd XI travel to Aghadowey in the 1^st Round of the Junior Cup. In the Down Area Premier Division the 3^rd XI entertain Vision Athletic while in Division 2A the 4^th XI visit Agape.

Bryansburn travelled to Seycon Park on Saturday to play Derriaghy CC in the 2^nd round of the Border Cup and came away with a very disappointing 3-0 defeat.

Before the game had even started the ‘Burn management had to change the starting line up as Murray had been involved in a car accident on his way to the ground.

This did not upset the away side and they quickly settled into the game and in the 4^th minute Malomo-Paris was upended in the box and the referee had no hesitation to point to the spot. However, the usually reliable Culbert tried to place his spot kick but the home sides goalkeeper made a great save to keep the scores level.

Derriaghy were pushing forward at every opportunity but the alertness of debutant goalkeeper Doran thwarted any serious attack on his goal.

‘Burn themselves were starting to play some good football and were having a lot of joy down the right hand side from McConkey but too often the final ball did not cause any problems to the home side.

Bryansburn made a change at halftime losing Chambers due to an injury with McMullan coming into centre half and Magee moving to the left back position.

In the opening minutes of the 2^nd half substitute McMullan went in for a challenge and to the amazement of both sides the referee brandished a red card when the challenge did not even merit a yellow. The referee totally lost control and five minutes later the home side scored when their centre forward looked at least five yards off side.

The heat was starting to get to the players and with ‘Burn pushing to try and get the equaliser Derriaghy broke and would have doubled their lead only for great goalkeeping by Doran as he pushed the shot away for a corner kick. From the resultant kick their centre forward rose above the away side defence to put the home side two up.

Bryansburn kept pushing and forced a few corners but could not capitalise on them and in the closing few minutes Derriaghy broke clear and with four against two wrapped the game up to leave the final score 3-0 to the home side.

Although the management team were very disappointed with the referee’s display they could not take anything away from a Derriaghy who should do well in their Division this year.

This Saturday league action takes a back seat for Bryansburn’s 1^st round Irish Cup game against NFC Kesh. Kick-off at Ballywooley is at 2.30pm.

The 2nds played their second league game of the season, looking to bounce back from an opening day defeat, and recorded an impressive 5-0 victory over Bangor Rangers ll.

Bryansburn were missing no fewer than seven regulars and had to make a number of enforced changes with the result that it took them fifteen minutes to settle. The visitors pressed hard for an early goal, but the home back line defended well to restrict chances to a minimum. ‘Burn began to get into the game and created a number of chances, with Corr and Edwards having chances to give them the lead. The half ended with honours even. HT 0-0.

Bryansburn stepped up a gear in the second period and were rewarded with two quick-fire goals early in the half. A great ball by Corr saw Morrison fire in a low cross that the keeper could only parry and Edwards was on hand to tuck the ball into the net. Then Morrison scored an early contender for goal of the season, hitting a ferocious drive from wide left into the top corner of the net from 25 yards. After this, Bryansburn gained in confidence. In the 65^th minute Edwards got his second with a good finish when one-on-one with the Bangor Rangers keeper. Thompson, who had an excellent game in the centre of the park, got Bryansburn’s fourth with a well- placed shot into the bottom corner of the net. Edwards completed his hat-trick when he broke through the visiting defence and slotted home.

An excellent response to last week’s defeat from the whole team, who will be pleased with a clean sheet as well as five well taken goals and other chances created. FT 5-0.

The 3^rd XI continued their impressive start to their debut season in the Down Area Premier League with a thrilling 4-3 win over 3^rd Bangor OB at Ballywooley.

‘Burn lost two players to the 2^nd XI and with leading scorer Cardwell and Beckett both unavailable it was a much-changed Bryansburn side that took to the field. Certainly the changes had an unsettling effect as the home side were all over the place in the early stages while 3^rd looked threatening with every attack. Keeper Brady made one great save but was powerless to stop the visitors racing to a two goal lead within the first twenty minutes.

Things looked bleak at this stage but Bryansburn finally got to grips with the game and turned it around with three goals in fifteen minutes to lead at the break. Firstly Cairnduff latched on to a through ball and raced on to beat the keeper. Minutes later Gallagher was brought down in the box and Dempster stepped up to slot home the resultant spot-kick. Then five minutes after that Gallagher was shoved in the box and the referee had no hesitation pointing again to the spot. This time Dempster sent the keeper the wrong way and ‘Burn were now 3-2 in the lead.

Early in the second half 3^rd Bangor equalised with a drive from an acute angle. After that both sides had loads of chances to score in a very open and entertaining half. For Bryansburn Cairnduff fired just wide twice, Storey ran the length of the pitch beating a number of men before being foiled by the keeper while Beattie homed in on goal and was also denied by the keeper. Cole went close twice as well as did substitute Rea. At the other end 3^rd missed two great chances and in the final fifteen minutes Brady pulled off three astonishing saves, two of which were from point blank range. A draw was probably a fair result but as the game moved into injury time it was ‘Burn who snatched the extra two points. Cole jinked through and slipped the ball to Cairnduff and he rounded the keeper to put ‘Burn 4-3 up. Even then the visitors nearly hit back in a dramatic finish but Murphy was on the line to block what looked like being a certain equaliser.

The 4^th XI suffered due to unavailability in the top three teams and were vastly under-strength for the trip to Vision Athletic ll. As it was the home side proved too strong and recorded a 5-0 victory. “Man of the Match” was keeper Steventon who pulled off a number of saves to help keep the score down ably assisted by MacDonald.

This Saturday: 1^st XI V NFC Kesh (h), 2^nd XI V Drumaness Mills ll (a), 3^rd XI V Bangor Rangers lll (a) and 4^th XI V Comber YM ll (a).

The Club are having a sponsored cycle event this Sunday followed by a Barbeque and fun-day at Ballywooley. All members should have a sponsorship form and if not they can still get one at the Club this Saturday. All cyclists should meet at Ballywooley at mid-day while the event at Ballywooley will be from 2pm onwards. Everyone is encouraged to come along and bring family and friends with you for what should be an enjoyable day.